ARCADIA -- There is likely no more important position on any football team than offensive line.

It will be no different at Rio Hondo Prep, which needs to get its young line up to speed if the Kares entertain any thoughts of repeating its CIF-Southern Section Northeast Division title.<QA>

Rio Hondo Prep, which began practice for the upcoming season this week, has to replace four of five starters from a group that helped the Kares win 12 of 14 games and advance to a CIF State Southern California Regional bowl. Coach Ken Drain believes while the group is short on varsity experience, its rich in talent.

“We’ve got a lot of questions marks, because we graduated a lot of really good players,” Drain said Tuesday morning. “But we think the guys we have work hard and will be able to step up and replace those guys. I think we have some strengths and weaknesses.

“The offensive line is all new, with only one guy back. We had a really good offensive line last year, so we have some things to work on there.”

The group will be led by senior Zach Stiver, an All-Prep League player who is the lone returning starter on the line. But junior Josh Hernandez is also expected to make an impact and help returning running back Nate Tayco repeat last season when he rushed for 1,665 yards and 29 touchdowns.

“We’re basicially a running team and it takes a good line to be a running team,” Drain said. “We have some guys who were back ups last year. They got a little playing time last year, so they know what it’s about. They are a year older, a year stronger and a year wiser, I hope.

“Hopefully, they will be able to step up and fill those positions. It’s just a matter of time, so we’ll see.”

Offensive line is not the only position that was impacted by a graduation. Rio Hondo Prep also has a new quarterback, with all-area player Colby Rivera graduated. Stepping in is senior Johnny Bolinger, who led the junior varsity to an undefeated season last year.

Drain believes he will fill the void nicely.

“Johnny is definitely our guy,” Drain said. “He was on the junior varsity last year and could have played varsity last year, but we had Colby, so we left him on JV for the most part. He did a really good job there, and we feel he can do a really good job here.

“I think he will be really to go. He’s a really smart kid. The JVs run the same offense we do, so he has been running this offense for three years. He’s ready to go and I think he’ll do a really good job.”

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It will help having Tayco, who will again be the horse that led the area in rushing touchdowns last season. The senior is ready for more in 2013.

“I’ve been waiting for this since that state (playoff game),” Tayco said of returning to practice. “Football is everything to me. Yes, there’s a lot of added pressure, with Jake (Holguin) and Colby gone. It puts a lot of pressure on the seniors’ shoulders, but we will do as good as the team does.”

Rio Hondo prep opens the season Aug. 30 at Brentwood before traveling to San Luis Obispo a week later for a Northeast championship rematch against Mission Prep.